Police are continuing to investigate the cause of a fatal road crash on the M11 near Epping.

A 79-year-old woman from Halifax, West Yorkshire, died when the car in which she was a passenger left the carriageway.

A 72-year-old man who was driving the car and a woman, aged 81, who was front seat passenger, were both seriously injured and are still receiving treatment in hospital. They are both from the Retford area of Nottinghamshire.

The crash happened on the southbound carriageway at about 3.30pm yesterday (Thursday).

The car, a silver Vauxhall Astra estate, was travelling south when it was involved in a collision with a heavy goods vehicle travelling in the same direction. The car then left the road and collided with trees.

The road was closed until about 10.30pm for recovery of the vehicles and while police carried out initial investigations.

Any witnesses who have not contacted police or anyone with information about events leading to the collision, should call Sgt Damon Bainbridge at the Essex Police Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 101 or email collisionappeal@essex.pnn.police.uk